486 WILD FLOWERS OF 



dark as the skies, many trees are stripped, hedges 

 are becoming bare, and tall dry umbelliferous plants 

 stand stiff in scrawky deadness. Every thing denotes 

 the waning year, the death of Mora, and the advent 

 of stern frowning winter 



" The spring is gone, the summer beauty wanes, 

 Like setting sunbeams in their last decline ; 

 As evening shadows lingering on the plains 



Gleam dim and dimmer till they cease to shine : 

 The busy bee hath humm'd himself to rest ; 



Flowers dry to seed that held the sweets of spring ; 

 Flown is the bird and empty is the nest, 



His broods are rear'd, no joys are left to sing. 

 There hangs a dreariness about the scene, 

 A present shadow of a bright has been." * 



In rural lanes how beautiful the ruddy fruit of the 

 wild rose droops at the end of its long branches ; how 

 rich the darker red of the haws ; how bright the pink 

 capsules of the Spindle-tree, just opening to show the 

 orange arill of the seed ; the splendid varied hues of 

 green, orange, and scarlet, exhibited by the clustered 

 berries of the twining Bryony (Tamus communis) 

 forms itself a picture ; then, in contrast, Blackberries 

 trail their sable clusters, tempting with their empurp- 

 ling stains many a rustic finger and there loaded 

 with its erect black fruit is the Privet, on whose top 

 a crimson-breasted Bullfinch has just settled for a 

 passing regale. 



At this time of year, when flowers are dead or dying 

 away, it is very pleasing to contemplate the various 

 wild fruits and berries that characterize the autumnal 

 landscape, and therefore it may not be uninteresting 

 to place the principal autumnal Berries of Britain, 

 with their various tints and hues, in juxtaposition. 



* ClARE. 



